THE CONTINENTAL NAVY

 
 
The Providence
 
 
THE PROVIDENCE
 
The first ship in The Continental Navy was the Providence.   The Continental Navy was the Navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War.  It was formed in 1775 and became cumulatively relatively substantial through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron  John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, considering the limitations imposed upon the Patriot supply pool.  The main goal of the navy was to intercept shipments of British material and to generally disrupt British maritime commercial operations.  The initial fleet consisted of converted merchantmen because of lack of funding, manpower and resources, with exclusively designed warships being built later in the conflict.  The vessels that successfully made it to sea only rarely met with success and the effort contributed little to the overall outcome of the war.  By 13 December 1775, Congress had authorized the construction of 13 new frigates, rather than refitting merchantmen to increase the fleet.  Only 8 of the 13 ships made it to sea and their effectiveness was limited as they were completely outmatched by the mighty Royal Navy.  Nearly all were captured or sunk by 1781.  The fleet did serve to highlight a few examples of Continental resolve, notably launching Captain John Barry into the limelight. It provided needed experience for a generation of officers who went on to command conflicts which involved the early American navy.  With the war over and the Federal government in need of all available capital, the final vessel of the Continental Navy, Alliance, was sold, in Philadelphia on 1 August 1785, to John Coburn and a partner named Whitehead.  These gentlemen subsequently sold her to Robert Morris who converted the vessel to an East Indiaman.
 
SHIPS OF THE CONTINENTAL NAVY
 
Name Guns Type How acquired Disposition
Alfred 24 Ship Purchased 1775 Captured 9 March 1778 by HMS Ariadne and Ceres
Columbus 20 Ship Purchased 1775 Burned 27 March 1778 after being chased on shore by a British squadron
Andrew Doria 14 Brig Purchased 1775 Burned to prevent capture, 21 November 1777
Cabot 14 Brig Purchased 1775 Captured by HMS Milford in 1777
Providence 12 Sloop Purchased 1775 Destroyed 1779
Hornet 10 Sloop Purchased 1775 Destroyed 1777
Wasp 8 Schooner Purchased 1775 Destroyed 1777
Fly 8 Schooner Purchased 1775 Destroyed 1777
Lexington 16 Brig Purchased 1776 Captured by British cutter Alert1777
Reprisal 16 Brig Purchased 1776 Lost at sea 1777
Hampden 14 Brig Purchased 1776 Sold 1777
Independence 10 Sloop Purchased 1776 Wrecked 1778
Sachem 10 Sloop Purchased 1776 Destroyed 1777
Mosquito 4 Sloop Puchased 1776 Destroyed 1777
Raleigh 32 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1778
Hancock 32 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1777
Warren 32 Frigate Launched 1776 Destroyed 1779
Washington 32 Frigate Launched 1776 Destroyed 1777
Randolph 32 Frigate Launched 1776 Lost in action 1778
Providence 28 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1780
Trumbull 28 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1781
Congress 28 Frigate Lauched 1776 Destroyed 1777
Virginia 28 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1778
Effingham 28 Frigate Launched 1776 Destroyed 1777
Boston 24 Frigate Launched 1776 Captured 1780
Montgomery 24 Frigate Launched 1776 Destroyed 1777
Delaware 24 Frigate Launched 1776 Destroyed 1777
Ranger 18 Ship Launched 1777 Captured 1780
Resistance 10 Brigantine Launched 1777 Captured 1778
Surprise   Sloop Purchases 1777 Unknown
Racehorse 12 Sloop Captured 1776 Destroyed
Repulse 8 Xebec Pennsylvania State Navy gunboat lent to Continental Navy 1777 Destroyed 1777
Champion 8 Xebec Pennsylvania State Navy gunboat lent to Continental Navy 1777 Destroyed 1777
L'Indien 40 Frigate Built in Holland 1777 Sold to France; later acquired by South Carolina Navy as South Carolina
Deane (later Hague) 32 Frigate Purchased 1777 Sold 1783
Queen of France 28 Frigate Purchased 1777 Sunk 1780
Dolphin 10 Cutter Purchased 1777 Unknown
Surprise 10 Lugger Purchased 1777 Seized by France
Revenge 14 Cutter Purchased 1777 Sold 1779
Alliance 32 Frigate Launched 1778 Sold 1785
General Gates 18 Ship Purchased 1778 Sold 1779
Retaliation   Brigantine Purchased 1778 Unknown
Pigot 8 Schooner Captured 1778 Unknown
Confederacy 32 Frigate Launched 1779 Captured 1781
Argo 12 Sloop Purchased 1779 Sold 1779
Diligent 12 Brig Captured 1779 Destroyed 1779
Bonhomme Richard 42 Ship Purchased 1779 Lost in action 1779
Pallas 32 Frigate Lent by France 1779 Returned to France
Cerf 18 Cutter Lent by France 1779 Returned to France
Vengeance 12 Brig Lent by France 1779 Returned to France
Serapis 44 Frigate Captured 1779 Sold 1779
Ariel 20 Ship Lent by France 1780 Returned to France 1781
Saratoga 18 Ship Launched 1780 Lost at sea 1781
America 74 Ship of the line Launched 1782 Given to France
General Washington 20 Ship Captured 1782 Sold 1784
Duc de Lauzun 20 Ship Purchased 1782 Sold 1783
Bourbon 36 Frigate Launched 1783 Sold 1783


 
THE ALLIANCE
The final vessel of the Continental Navy
 
 The Alliance